HC Deb 13 February 1969 vol 777 cc1567-8
Q5. Mr. Moonman

asked the Prime Minister what initiatives he intends to take in the next few months with Heads of Governments of European Economic Community countries concerning European scientific and technological collaboration.

Mr. M. Stewart

I have been asked to reply.

I have nothing at present to add to what my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said on this subject in reply to supplementary questions by my hon. Friend and other hon. Members on the 16th of December.—[Vol. 775, c. 861–2.]

Mr. Moonman

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is sometimes absurd for hon. Members to say that we are either crawling, or jumping, into the front or back door of Europe, when the real issue is whether we can collaborate on research and development with other European countries to establish industries of innovation like oceanography, and a common procurement policy?

Mr. Stewart

I think that that is so, and technology is one of the fields in which we can proceed with useful cooperation with European countries, as indeed we are doing.

Mr. Rippon

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain how the Government reconcile their fine words about the importance of European scientific and technological discussions, with their discreditable actions in matters such as the future of E.L.D.O. and C.E.R.N., and give some indication of the willingness of the Government to discuss, perhaps through the Council, or a Committee of the Council, of Europe, the possibility of setting up a European Technological Institute?

Mr. Stewart

Opportunities for that last suggestion may arise. As to E.L.D.O. and C.E.R.N., we made clear our reasons for this, that we do not believe it serves the interests of European technological co-operation to concentrate resources on projects which have not the viability or the justification, but we are concerned with practical forms of cooperation. We participate in the European Centre for Nuclear Research, and today we are signing the agreement setting up the European Molecular Policy Conference.